8.

“I unlearned that beauty matters, period. I thought I was so ugly in my youth because I did not fit the skinny minnie size 0 standards of the ’90s. But all my curves were in the right places. Then, as I aged and gained weight, I thought I was ugly and fat and worth nothing because I had an asshat narcissistic husband who used my insecurities against me. Now I am 50, and let me tell you, none of that matters. I can look like hell, in messy clothing with my hair pulled up, and I will still have men (and women) hit on me.”

“Hell, I do not even have to shave my legs anymore. Those guys I thought did not like me in my youth have all told me that they were intimidated because they found me attractive, but they thought they would be picked on for liking a curvy girl. They did not have the balls back then to stand up for what they wanted. Beauty standards change all the time. Now, size inclusivity is allowing us big girls to shine.”

—Anonymous, 50